1.Title, director and release year? Addicted to Plastics, Ian Connacher, 2008
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
This film looks at the most ubiquitous and versatile material ever invented. From Styrofoam cups to artificial organs, Addicted to Plastic examines the world’s most influential invention of the last 100 years. The unfortunate fact is that no organism can biodegrade plastic, so this means that every piece of plastic that was ever made (except for a small amount that has been incinerated) still exists. This film spans the globe looking at the creative ways in which corporations and small villages alike have turned plastic waste into a commodity, often times unrelated to the typical plastic bag/bottle. It shows how inefficient we have been in reusing and recycling our plastic and the potential for this ‘waste.’ In watching this film, I no longer saw plastic waste as waste, but as raw material for a wide range of other products.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
-Plastic in the Ocean: The United Nations claims there are 46,000 pieces of plastic in every square mile of ocean. A whopping 80% of plastics in the ocean originate from land. Captain Charles Moore, world expert on the garbage patches and founder of the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, explains that in some parts of the ocean, the ratio of plastic to plankton in the water is 10:1. A Dutch scientist finds that 90% of the birds he dissects have the human equivalent of a lunch bag full of plastic in their stomachs.
- Plastic Recycling: This film draws out the many problems with recycling system most people deem a godsend. Most issues about the recycling process are unknown to the majority of people who actually recycle. It is assumed that when a bottle is put in a recycling bin, that it will be shipped off and reused to make more plastic. This common misconception is addressed in this film in some detail (such as the fact that many bottle caps/lids are not made of the same plastic as the rest of the bottle and only certain types of plastic can actually be recycled. Unfortunately, there is clearly inadequate plastic recycling infrastructure in most countries around the world. One problem is the sheer amount of different plastics on various items (lids and spouts made from different materials than the bottles), and a lack of infrastructure to deal with the quantity of plastics being consumed around the world.
-Stakeholders: Aside from individual business people and the odd company around the world who are taking responsibility for plastic consumption by creating clever recycling businesses (such as turning plastics into railway ties, plastic flower pots, jackets or handbags), little responsibility is taken for global plastic consumption, the vast majority of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans and landfills.
4.What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
I found all of the solutions from around the world to be the most compelling part of the film. It is these small changes that will blossom and be the future solutions. The businesses that found a way to use plastic waste to create commodities were quite interesting, ranging from 100% recycled plastic coats and carpets to railroad ties and designer purses. Also, the fact that there are businesses in even the poorest of countries creating these commodities was amazing to see. It gives inspiration; if they can do it, so can we. Also, The films use of statistics, diagrams, and animations (like the life story of a resin bead) were all very conducive to making the audience understand the severity of our addiction to plastic. Some of my favorite statistics: 80% of plastic in the ocean comes from land; in Holland, there are 70kg of plastic per kilometer of the beach each day; and Denmark has a 90% recycling rate.
5.What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the film is the trip to the Eastern Garbage Patch(North Pacific Gyro) located in the Pacific Ocean, a 1000 miles from the USA mainland. There is so much myth and heresy written about the ocean’s garbage patchesthat it was enlightening to see some actual footage. The film contains one of the best explanations on the ocean’s garbage patches and how they are created. Connacher debunks the misconception that the EGP is a ‘floating landfill’, rather he explains that ‘it is a chunk here, a piece here…’
6.What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
This film compelled me to seek out how other countries (such as India and Denmark) made the transition to a less plastic-dependent lifestyle. I wonder just how effective the banning of plastic bags would be in the United States, where I’m sure millions of them are used daily; or how we could give consumers incentive to return their plastic bottles, as done in Denmark.
7.What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
It is imagery of the plastic in the ocean that haunts you after viewing the film: the ocean is a plastic soup; tons of garbage washes ashore hiding otherwise beautiful beaches daily; and every piece of plastic ever thrown away has survived in some form somewhere (except for the small percentage that has been incinerated). This film does an excellent job of educating audiences, whether consumers or business owners. It encourages consumers to be mindful of their addiction to plastic and business owners to be creative with their waste. After all, what better way to get rid of your trash than to give it worth and use it again or sell it to someone else? It doesn’t change the corporate profit motive, but it changes the notion of the value of ‘waste.’
8.What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
While traveling the world, he showcases entrepreneurs who are re-purposing plastic to sell in the marketplace. They make railway ties, purses, fabric, clothes and other products that sell internationally. Others are manufacturing bio-plastic from corn and other naturally occurring elements as a biodegradable alternative. And more simply, there are groups dedicated to physically cleaning up the beaches and the oceans. Connacher tackles a lot of scientific and complex concepts but to his credit, he always ensures comprehension by repeating it in layman’s terms. Ultimately, he strikes an ideal balance between threat and hope
9.What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
Overall the film did a great job of explaining the life of a resin bead, thus educating viewers on the origin of plastic and its implications on the environment throughout its life. I was, however, very curious as to how the biodegradable plastic actually works and why it has not been released to the public yet. Perhaps making a comparison between the various types of plastics would have been more comprehensive to those who underestimate the problem with plastic sitting in landfills.
Addicted to Plastics, Ian Connacher, 2008
2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film?
This film looks at the most ubiquitous and versatile material ever invented. From Styrofoam cups to artificial organs, Addicted to Plastic examines the world’s most influential invention of the last 100 years. The unfortunate fact is that no organism can biodegrade plastic, so this means that every piece of plastic that was ever made (except for a small amount that has been incinerated) still exists. This film spans the globe looking at the creative ways in which corporations and small villages alike have turned plastic waste into a commodity, often times unrelated to the typical plastic bag/bottle. It shows how inefficient we have been in reusing and recycling our plastic and the potential for this ‘waste.’ In watching this film, I no longer saw plastic waste as waste, but as raw material for a wide range of other products.
3. What sustainability problems does the film draw out?
4. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why?
I found all of the solutions from around the world to be the most compelling part of the film. It is these small changes that will blossom and be the future solutions. The businesses that found a way to use plastic waste to create commodities were quite interesting, ranging from 100% recycled plastic coats and carpets to railroad ties and designer purses. Also, the fact that there are businesses in even the poorest of countries creating these commodities was amazing to see. It gives inspiration; if they can do it, so can we. Also, The films use of statistics, diagrams, and animations (like the life story of a resin bead) were all very conducive to making the audience understand the severity of our addiction to plastic. Some of my favorite statistics: 80% of plastic in the ocean comes from land; in Holland, there are 70kg of plastic per kilometer of the beach each day; and Denmark has a 90% recycling rate.
5. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by?
Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of the film is the trip to the Eastern Garbage Patch(North Pacific Gyro) located in the Pacific Ocean, a 1000 miles from the USA mainland. There is so much myth and heresy written about the ocean’s garbage patchesthat it was enlightening to see some actual footage. The film contains one of the best explanations on the ocean’s garbage patches and how they are created. Connacher debunks the misconception that the EGP is a ‘floating landfill’, rather he explains that ‘it is a chunk here, a piece here…’
6. What additional information does this film compel you to seek out? Where do you want to dig deeper and what connections do you want to make with other issues, factors, problems, etc.?
This film compelled me to seek out how other countries (such as India and Denmark) made the transition to a less plastic-dependent lifestyle. I wonder just how effective the banning of plastic bags would be in the United States, where I’m sure millions of them are used daily; or how we could give consumers incentive to return their plastic bottles, as done in Denmark.
7. What audiences does the film best address? What kind of imagination is fostered in viewers? Do you think the film is likely to change the way viewers think about and act on environmental problems?
It is imagery of the plastic in the ocean that haunts you after viewing the film: the ocean is a plastic soup; tons of garbage washes ashore hiding otherwise beautiful beaches daily; and every piece of plastic ever thrown away has survived in some form somewhere (except for the small percentage that has been incinerated). This film does an excellent job of educating audiences, whether consumers or business owners. It encourages consumers to be mindful of their addiction to plastic and business owners to be creative with their waste. After all, what better way to get rid of your trash than to give it worth and use it again or sell it to someone else? It doesn’t change the corporate profit motive, but it changes the notion of the value of ‘waste.’
8. What kinds of action or points of intervention are suggested by the film?
While traveling the world, he showcases entrepreneurs who are re-purposing plastic to sell in the marketplace. They make railway ties, purses, fabric, clothes and other products that sell internationally. Others are manufacturing bio-plastic from corn and other naturally occurring elements as a biodegradable alternative. And more simply, there are groups dedicated to physically cleaning up the beaches and the oceans. Connacher tackles a lot of scientific and complex concepts but to his credit, he always ensures comprehension by repeating it in layman’s terms. Ultimately, he strikes an ideal balance between threat and hope
9. What could have been added to this film to enhance its environmental educational value?
Overall the film did a great job of explaining the life of a resin bead, thus educating viewers on the origin of plastic and its implications on the environment throughout its life. I was, however, very curious as to how the biodegradable plastic actually works and why it has not been released to the public yet. Perhaps making a comparison between the various types of plastics would have been more comprehensive to those who underestimate the problem with plastic sitting in landfills.
Citations:
http://www.amazon.com/ADDICTED-TO-PLASTIC/dp/B001U0D7A4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1273877978&sr=8-1
http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/atp.html
http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/addicted-to-plastic-unsure-what-point-to-makes/Content?oid=1140507